Dwarf shrews in Utah turn up in the high, cool country of the Uinta Mountains and Wasatch Range, especially within Ashley National Forest, habitat that matches this shrew’s preference for damp alpine meadows and subalpine forest floor. At barely a tenth of an ounce, it’s one of the smallest mammals in North America and needs moist, insect-rich ground litter to survive; suitable pockets aren’t continuous across the mountains.
All 30 of Utah’s records come from GBIF trapping data, none from iNaturalist, since an animal this small and secretive is almost never found by casual observers. Reports peak in July and August, when high-elevation field surveys are easiest to run, not necessarily when shrews are most active. NatureServe ranks it S3, vulnerable, in Utah, reflecting how few confirmed sites exist for this specialist.
Full species profile
